Adequan is back! We figured we would get everyone on the same page about the Adequan i.m. 1/4/7 protocol before all of the prescription requests and questions start up again! Adequan i.m. (Polysulfated Glycosaminoglycan) 1/4/7 is an intramuscular injectable solution. It is currently the only FDA approved disease modifying osteoarthritis drug for the treatment of non-infectious degenerative joint disease. According to their web-site, Adequan i.m. alleviates pain, stops the joint disease cycle, decreases inflammation, restores synovial lubrication, blocks destructive enzymes, reverses traumatic joint dysfunction, and stimulates cartilage repair. For those of you wondering what the i.m. and 1/4/7 means after the word Adequan: The i.m. stands for intramuscular and is how the drug is administered to the horse, as an intramuscular injection in the neck. The 1/4/7 refers to the recommended treatment directions – Give one vial (1) every four (4) days for a total of seven (7) treatments. Just to make things extra confusing, veterinarians are now changing the way they had been prescribing Adequan i.m. for horses! Old Directions: Give 1 vial (5cc) IM once every four days for a total of seven treatments, then 1 vial (5cc) IM once or twice per month or as directed.New Directions: Give 1 vial (5cc) IM once every four days for a total of seven treatments. Retreat with the full 1/4/7 treatment series as needed and as prescribed by your veterinarian. According to their web-site, this seven treatment series is the optimal dosage to give the maximum benefit for your horse. In most cases, this full 1/4/7 treatment series can then be repeated yearly. In some cases, the full 1/4/7 treatment series may need to be repeated more often depending on the severity of each case, horse history, and other factors defined by your veterinarian. Whether given once per year, or twice per year, or however often your vet prescribes, with the new directions, the monthly or every other month dose of one vial (5cc) of Adequan i.m. is stopped altogether. Most clients and experts in the industry have found that administering Adequan i.m. once or twice per month after the initial 1/4/7 treatment really has no additional benefit to the horse. The new directions are just as effective as the old directions, but have many benefits for your wallet!